Paul’s Message by the Spirit’s Power 1 RV And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery of God. BSB BSB: When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
2 RV For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. BSB BSB: For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
3 RV And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. BSB BSB: I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
4 RV And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: BSB BSB: My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
5 RV that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. BSB BSB: so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
Spiritual Wisdom (Ephesians 1:15–23)
6 RV Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, which are coming to nought: BSB BSB: Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
7 RV but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: BSB BSB: No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
8 RV which none of the rulers of this world knoweth: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: BSB BSB: None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 RV but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. BSB BSB: Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 RV But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. BSB BSB: But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11 RV For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. BSB BSB: For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12 RV But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God. BSB BSB: We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
13 RV Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. BSB BSB: And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
14 RV Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. BSB BSB: The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 RV But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man. BSB BSB: The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.
16 RV For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. BSB BSB: “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.